/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.3316555]

How do you deal with STEM majors who look down on you?

[Anonymous No.3316558]

I'm studying math and computer science.

I look down on STEM-majors who don't like pure mathematics and thinking theoretically about computational problems (i.e., the theoretical sides of computer science)... and for not liking the humanities, if they don't.

[Anonymous No.3316563]

I've never encountered one in real life, leading me to believe that the ones on 4chan are dysfunctional trolls.

[Anonymous No.3316571]

>STEM majors
>looking down on people

[Anonymous No.3316569]

Use philosophy/history of science to shit on their half-baked scientism. Most of them are pretty worthless when it comes to conceptualizing that sort of thing; they're just talented number crunchers and mental gymnasts.

[Anonymous No.3316596]

I have known a lot of STEM majors and some of them were really good friends to me.
None of them made fun of me for being into literature or philosophy. Maybe it is an american thing, or the STEM majors you meet are just massive dicks.

[Anonymous No.3316607]

>>3316596
slash STEM majors on 4chan are massive dicks slash /sci/ made this thread slash trolling

[Anonymous No.3316612]

>>3316555
I nod and say, "Yes, it would be in my best interest to change my major. You've made some very strong points."

Then I do whatever the hell I want.

[Anonymous No.3316617]

It is fairly simple to cast aside the opinion of an individual who "looks down" on someone simply due to a trivial matter such as major choice.

[Anonymous No.3316625]

I don't.

I'm a CS.

[Anonymous No.3316632]

>>3316569
>Use philosophy/history of science to shit on their half-baked scientism.
>this is what shit tier majors actually believe

[Anonymous No.3316634]

my roommates consist of two computer science majors and one studying mechanical engineering. they don't give me shit and actually ask me to edit the papers they write for their humcore courses

[Anonymous No.3316638]

A man ought to have a trade. As long as you can produce something you can be proud. Even if it is just the shit tier critical insight and philosophical platitudes most people on /lit/ produce.

[Anonymous No.3316649]

>not being internally validated
>depending on others for a sense of self worth

ignore them.

[Anonymous No.3316651]

Math major here. I only look down on humanities majors that take pride in being or think it's funny to be bad at math/science.

[Anonymous No.3316663]

>>3316617
>due to a trivial matter such as major choice.

[Anonymous No.3316738]

>>3316663
Yea I meant exactly what I said anon. Major choice for undergrad is relatively arbitrary, your supposed to do what you enjoy. Only then will you be on a path to attaining something actually important like hmm maybe happiness?

[Anonymous No.3316742]

In my experience, most are too stupid to understand any critique of scientism (but to be fair I don't understand a lot of what they're doing either) and despite us knowing how useful, necessary and meaningful it is for our lives, it tends to go in one ear and out the other. So, you have to talk on their level. This usually means putting it in terms of money making ability.

I'm a secretary for philosophy and classical studies departments and I'll give a version of my stump speech for questioning students.

Start by taking a look at this: http://online.wsj com/public/resources/documents/info-Degrees_that_Pay_you_Back-sort.html

The results are surprising given the fearmongering directed toward everyone in the humanities and, to a lesser extent, social sciences. Philosophy majors are making more money by midcareer than business and accounting majors and more the biology and chemistry majors to name a few. At the very least, humanities degrees are not the economic death sentence that others claim it to be.

Let's think about why this could be. In the humanities, you're learning how to communicate effectively, how to address problems creatively and, no surprise, how to interact with other people on a non-superficial level. These are skills that EVERY employer will ALWAYS be looking for. The same can't always be said for the skills learned by people trained to press particular buttons or follow a particular, predetermined, way to go about doing everything they do. This is often the case because those trained in certain areas are dealing with very particular technologies that are going to be outdated, at which point this person is useless from the perspective of a business, or they must be retrained and are now a bit of a liability.

In terms of communication, the President of the American Philosophical Association frequently cites recent data (I can't find it right now since I usually give the info in paper form already printed) showing that...

[Anonymous No.3316773]

>>3316742

2/2

humanities and certain arts major's writing skills increase drastically over their undergraduate career and are, not surprisingly, far superior to their colleagues. The same is true to a lesser extent in the social sciences. However, majors in the hard sciences actually decrease in their writing ability from where they were at the point of graduating high school. Again, this is a manifestation of what these departments have tended to value. This isn't to say that STEM has no place, it has an important place in society and in every person's life. However, its place is no more important than the humanities and the humanities does certain things far better than STEM.

So, aside from the fact that studying philosophy has been a way to give meaning to my life, I think few things are more important, philosophy is also something which can lead to just as much success, if not more, in the real world. Don't let the fearmongering scare you and don't feel intimidated when axiom-memorizing mouth breathers with a lack of critical thinking capacities tell you your degree is useless.

[Anonymous No.3316823]

>>3316742
>>3316773
This was a good read. Thanks

[Anonymous No.3316824]

>How do you deal with STEM majors who look down on you?

nothing to worry about; if you've read the philosophy of science you'll realize that STEM majors, actually, have no idea how science works

[Anonymous No.3316841]

My friend and housemate is (the english equivalent of) one and aside from us taking the piss out of each other the issue never comes up, in fact I help proofread his stuff as he's an awful writer on a first draft

[Anonymous No.3316837]

I'm a physics major but I spend most of my free time learning about humanities and literature-related stuff.

I don't have any issue with humanities majors, in fact I envy how bold they are to be so passionate about something that they can spend 4 years of their life studying it without any guarantee of stable income afterwards.

[Anonymous No.3316845]

>>3316742
>>3316773
>that inferiority complex

You humanities majors sure give me a good laugh.

[Anonymous No.3316851]

>>3316773
Well that dude has it figured out.

I also found that in studying philosophy you just become more of a cultivated human being. You ignorance may not completely disappear but you begin to realize that tolerance and acceptance are avenues to elicit the affections of others.

[Anonymous No.3316856]

Really most sensible STEM majors don't patronize the humanities, it's just there is a massive selection bias here on 4chan that makes /sci/ full of dickheads.

[Anonymous No.3316865]

>>3316851
>tolerance and acceptance are avenues to elicit the affections of others.
>being this beta

EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE
EVERY STEP YOU TAKE
SHIGGY DIGGY DOO

[Anonymous No.3316862]

This degree shit flinging is just like purchase justification, belittling others to convince yourself you made the right choice. Almost all of the participants in these arguments have chose/are studying/have studied their subjects so the debate is often just an attempt to prove superiority with no practical benefit.

>>3316845
At least bother to articulate a response
>>3316773
>>3316742
That was interesting to read

[Anonymous No.3316877]

I don't hate the humanities. I'm getting a Bachelor's in Mathematics and I hope to go into research. I also love writing. I figure, I could make more of a career out of math than writing, so I'll take some CW courses and work on my writing on my own time.

[Anonymous No.3316901]

>>3316824
>if you've read the philosophy of science...

And if you read about the working methods of actual scientists you'd see that nobody gives two flying fucks about the philosophy because it is hindering the process..

[Anonymous No.3316904]

>>3316851
There's a distinction between high and low art but no one is cunty enough to write low art completely out conversations about creativity. "Philosophy" however appropriates the entire concept of wisdom on behalf of a posh wanky western cannon that's been criticized to death already. You sir are a cunt.

Studying philosophy won't get you anything you can't get from a generally thoughtful and well read life besides arrogance.

[Anonymous No.3316913]

>>3316856
>Really most sensible STEM majors don't patronize the humanities,


That's true.

We hate law majors much more.

[Anonymous No.3316926]

>>3316913
This.

fuck law

[Anonymous No.3316938]

>>3316901
The scientific method was invented by Platon. And how is it HINDERING anything?

[Anonymous No.3316944]

>>3316555
Smile lazily in the assurance that they will have good jobs and pay lots of taxes to provide me with welfare.

[Anonymous No.3316966]

>>3316926
law > business >>>>>>>>>>> marketing

[Anonymous No.3316957]

>>3316944
>mfw a degenerate leech rationalized his failure near

[Anonymous No.3316997]

>>3316966
I've considered taking a class in marketing, just to see who does and how they discuss ways to manipulate people.

[Anonymous No.3317018]

>>3316997
That actually would be very interesting. Probably by ignoring a lot of moral questions and whitewashing everything else, I would imagine.

[Anonymous No.3317024]

>>3316957
I haven't failed, this was my plan all along. I've succeeded. Ever since I was a kid I've always said that I didn't want to be anything, didn't want to do anything, didn't want to achieve anything. I'm content as it is, being a useless bum. It's all I ever wished for myself.

[Anonymous No.3317026]

>>3316944
Shit.

[Anonymous No.3317029]

>>3317018
>moral questions

lel, enjoy that leash that society has tied around your neck

[Anonymous No.3317039]

Know full well I'm getting better paid and doing a more interesting job than most of them for not being in the S, T or M categories.

[Anonymous No.3317044]

>>3317024
You are pathetic, even if you are a 2edgy4u troll.

[Anonymous No.3317049]

>>3317024
>if I set the bar low enough I'll never be disappointed

Just kill yourself.

[Anonymous No.3317053]

>>3317049
Just read I Ching.

[Anonymous No.3317056]

>>3317049
>quoting dodgeball

[Anonymous No.3317062]

>>3317029
0/10

[Anonymous No.3317061]

>>3317053
No, I'm not interested in the way you rationalize your failure of a life.

[Anonymous No.3317073]

>>3317053
You don't understand shit about Taoism

[Anonymous No.3317070]

>>3317044
If being happy with little and not toiling for nonsense is pathetic, then I sure am.

[Anonymous No.3317084]

>>3317070
>I won't challenge myself because it would be difficult and emotionally taxing, so I will adopt a philosophy of pseudo-nihilism where nothing is actually worth achieving or accomplishing

[Anonymous No.3317086]

Joke's on you, I am a STEM major.

[Anonymous No.3317104]

>>3317070
>I can't so I tell myself "I won't" in order to sustain my ego

[Anonymous No.3317099]

>>3316904
You must have been an "A" phil. student, then.

[Anonymous No.3317126]

>>3317084
More like I have realised that all the strange things people do to increase happiness are often misguided and instead of working towards things that will not bring me happiness I have chosen to invest myself in the things that will: Lack of wants, contentedness, simple pleasures, health, friends, family and philosophy.

[Anonymous No.3317132]

>>3317104
I could likely mention a lot of things you could do but refrain from doing, not to mention things you don't do because you simply can't.
>>3317073
That's funny. Thank you.

[Anonymous No.3317140]

>>3317126
People don't do art to be happy, they do art because art is tremendously and innately valuabe.

[Anonymous No.3317151]

>>3316904
>a posh wanky western cannon that's been criticized to death already.

Criticism of a cannon may lead to fatalities.

[Anonymous No.3317150]

>>3317140
>innately valuabe
4/10

[Anonymous No.3317158]

>>3317151
Nonsense, it's already been killed.

[Anonymous No.3317162]

>>3317158
>murdering the artillery
>2013

[Anonymous No.3317164]

>>3317150
>herp derp nihilism

[Anonymous No.3317183]

>>3317126
And you think the way to maximize that happiness is to live like a leech?

[Anonymous No.3317189]

>>3317162
That's one New Year's objective off the list.

[Anonymous No.3317190]

>>3316997
You'd mostly be taught that the whole "getting on all fours and thinking like the customer" mentality has gone away or is otherwise out of fashion, at least in academia/Business schools. The very idea of having a marketing department is also gone, or going the way of the dinosaur in the few companies old enough and slow enough to still have them. For most businesses you want repeat customers or word of mouth is important, so being able to trick people into thinking you're good for that one off fling is useless, it won't convince them to go again or tell their friends. And this is even more important now with things like viral marketing becoming de rigueur. The new buzzword is "advocacy": can you get people who are sold on your brand to sell it to their friends/acquaintances/peers?

However, there are a few people who do look at marketing in businesses that only use that one off sale (telemarketing, spam and other cold calling), guys like Robert Cialdini, Noah Goldstein and Steve Martin

[Anonymous No.3317212]

>>3316904

>complains that philosophy leads to arrogance
>writes one of the most arrogant posts in a thread full of arrogance

[Anonymous No.3317289]

I don't go to school or interact with students outside of 4chan.

[Anonymous No.3317290]

Isn't literature and philosophy just something you should do as a civilized person? Why would you do it professionally?

I do them every day, but I still wouldn't major in brushing my teeth or putting on my socks in the morning.

[Anonymous No.3317307]

>>3317290
>reading philosophy is on par with putting your socks on
>I do them every day
I don't think so

[Anonymous No.3317315]

>>3317190
Fuck I hate marketing so much.

[Anonymous No.3317319]

>>3317164
I'm not a nihilist, I just don't think a painting has magical value when there aren't any people to find it valuable.

>>3317183
For me it is. Others may differ in this of course. I'm a lot less happy when I have to spend 40 hours a week doing something I dislike for about 50 years.

[Anonymous No.3317326]

Physics major here, and I look down on you guys too.

Honestly the STEM majors who found it too hard but call it "boring" changed to English/Psychology/Philosophy.

It's cute, really. I'm probably more knowledgeable than a lot of you /lit/ majors in your own fields, too.

[Anonymous No.3317327]

>>3317319
>I'm not a nihilist, I just don't think a painting has magical value when there aren't any people to find it valuable.

I don't mean that it is innately valuable in that it is valuable independent of all human experience, I mean that it is innately valuable in the sense that it is valuable independent of other types of human value (moral worth, happiness, health, etc)

[Anonymous No.3317347]

>>3317327
Why would you say so? The involvement with art can be perfectly explained as part of our quest for happiness. As can morality and health.

[Anonymous No.3317349]

>>3316569
I laughed it this. It's hilarious that some lazy stoner hipster having fun on his parents' dime thinks he is more significant than a Schrodinger.

[Anonymous No.3317351]

CompSci grad student here.

I don't look down on any libart majors. They contribute to human knowledge just as much and are just as important to our growth as a species.

[Anonymous No.3317353]

>>3317349

It's funny that kids like you think a Schrodinger has anything to do with what he was saying.

[Anonymous No.3317356]

>>3317347
Because artists are the happiest people.

[Anonymous No.3317359]

>>3317349

I think it's hilarious that some undergrad at Bumfuck State University thinks he's a Schrödinger.

[Anonymous No.3317367]

>>3317356
Not sure if sarcasm.

[Anonymous No.3317368]

>>3317356
Then why do most of them commit suicide

[Anonymous No.3317372]

>>3317367
To say that art is just about "being happy" is a ridiculous and naive oversimplification. A lot of artists are quite disatisfied, and their pursuits certainly aren't about finding an amusing pastime, but about saying something significant that they believe needs to be said re: the human condition.

[Anonymous No.3317378]

>>3317368

They don't. Only the best do.

[Anonymous No.3317394]

>tfw code monkey
>tfw you see Humanity friends walking and debating with their lecturers about some really interesting subjects.

[Anonymous No.3317406]

>>3317394
>tfw I changed from CS to Philosophy, but then became an anxiety-ridden shut in and failed out anyway and became a NEET

If I stayed with CS this probably wouldn't have happened.

[Anonymous No.3317410]

>>3317367
>>3317368
Do you guys even the posts people reply to, or you do just kind of guess your way through?

[Anonymous No.3317411]

>>3317372
>but about saying something significant that they believe needs to be said

Everything important has already been said.
All they're doing is reinventing the wheel while engaging in an emotion circlejerk.
I see modern studio artists as selfish, personally.

[Anonymous No.3317412]

>>3317372
Why does it need to be said? To rid themselves of the very impulse to do so? To get rid of something that is making them suffer? A lot of artists are indeed quite dissatisfied, but they believe that creating this or that will make them more happy. They think they will benefit from writing the novel that defines their general or painting the perfect sunrise. Such endeavours are often doomed to failure since their very mindset leads them to being perpetually unsatisfied. Just like people who think lots of health will make them happy and become so caught up in the money making game that they're starting to lack the ability to enjoy themselves.

They're all looking for happiness, they're just pretty shitty at is.

[Anonymous No.3317416]

>>3317412
*wealth, not health.

[Anonymous No.3317419]

>>3317410
What